# Zee Medical, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 02-0115  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2002-05-15

02-0115 response to Zee Medical, Inc. concerning 172.102.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

Transportatic
S. Departmer
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Research and
pecial Program:
dministratior
MAY 15 2002
Mr. Kevin Lloyd
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Reference No. 02-0115
22 Corporate Park
Zee Medical, Inc.
Irvine, CA 92606
Dear Mr. Lloyd:
This is in response to your April 16, 2002 letter requesting a clarification of the phrase " no free
liquid" as used in Special Provision 47 of § 172.102 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49
CFR Parts 171-180).
You stated your product is sealed inner packets, cach containing a towelette absorbed with 6 ml
of a Class 3, Packing Group II, insect repellent solution. You also stated when the packets are
cut open on one end and inverted for 5 minutes, open side down, no liquid comes out. However,
if shaken hard, one or two drops may come out of the packets.
The term "no free liquid" in Special Provision 47 describes the physical state when a liquid
hazardous material is completely absorbed by a solid material such that no liquid is visible away
Tom the solid material at the time the material is closed within the package. Therefore, your
product is not subject to the regulations if, as you state, there is no free liquid in the packets
I hope this information satisfies your inquiry.
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
172.102
020115

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Ap. 16 02 12:54p
zee medical
p. 2
Edmonson
$172.102(e)1) ZEE
AMERICA'S
WORKPLACE
SP 47
SAFETY
EXPERT.~
April 16, 2002
Classification
02-O115
Mr. Edward Mazzulo
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Srandards
USDOT/RSPA (DHM10)
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Mazzulo:
which provides an exemption for "small irner packagings consisting of sealed packets containing less
We are requesting a letter of interpretation concerning 49 CFR 172.102 (c)(1), Special Provision 47,
than 10 ml of a Class 3 liquid in Packing Group II or III absorbed onto a solid material ... provided
there is no free liquid in the packet."
We are planning to ship a product that we believe meets these requirements, however we need
clarification on the "no free liquid" requirement. Our product is a packet containing a towelette and a
small amount of a flammable liquid (Class 3, Packing Group II. When the packet is fully cut open on
one end and inverted with the open side down for 5 minutes, no liquid comes out. If the packet is
shaken hard, one or two drops may come cut of some of the packets.
We would appreciate it if you could give us an interpretation on the "no free liquid" requirement.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Keen Plig
Kevin Lloyd
Director, Regulatory Affairs
Irvine, CA 92606
Zee Medical, Inc.
Zee Medical, Inc. A McKessonHBOC Company • 22: Corporate Park • Irvine, GA 92606 - (949) 252-9500 - Fax: (949) 252-9649

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020115.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `46f27ab6a8e2668230b5f94ebcd2fc0470823c760cef8fbb76f43ab8c60236ab`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T19:26:00.530Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-02-0115`

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